


thrown down by the sea

by wreckingtomlinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (sorry), Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Diary/Journal, Multi, No Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 09:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4473497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wreckingtomlinson/pseuds/wreckingtomlinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>And yet, since I met him, my mind keeps wandering to Louis, the gardener, with his quickness and charm and eyes one can only read about. I’ve never thought about anyone this way before, let alone a gardener. Perhaps I will only see him sparingly—besides, Liam will keep me focused on the purpose of my visit. Get to know the princess, decide if courting her would be an option, and then act accordingly.</i><br/> <br/><i>Forget Louis. Forget Louis.</i></p><p>Or, Zayn should be thinking about the princess he's considering courting, but a certain gardener with twigs and flower petals in his hair proves to be a bit of a distraction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	thrown down by the sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [louissass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/louissass/gifts).



> ahh here we are then, I took a few liberties with the details of the prompt but I hope you like it!
> 
> i tried to look up how to address and refer to royalty but honestly the more i read the more confused i got so i'm so sorry!!
> 
> the usual disclaimer applies—i don't own anything, this is all fiction, i'm making no money from this (unfortunately), etc. etc. etc.
> 
> oh, and title from [If I Walk Away](https://youtu.be/0FpLzV0R5dY) by Josh Groban.

_The Diary of HRH The Prince Zayn Javadd Malik of Yorkshire_

**11 April**

We arrived in Durham today, after three days of travelling. Fortunately, the journey was uneventful and the weather favourable.

Liam and Niall have been nothing but pleasant travel companions. Liam had the foresight to bring with us a book containing several passages on the history of the Edwards royal family for me to study on the way. Don’t know what I would do without him sometimes, or without Niall to keep our morale at a constant high.

Durham is a lovely kingdom. It is wooded all around except for the coast, where the castle sits on the most beautiful beach I have seen, one to rival that of Brighton, for certain. It is a fishing kingdom, which I knew from our trade with them, but I never imagined it to be this picturesque. Yorkshire is mainly industrial, all forests for lumber and coal mines.

We took a ride through the town, where the people were nothing but pleasant and welcoming. One fisherman with a cart offered our horses some water and us a meal, but Liam wanted us to get to the palace as soon as possible, so we had to decline. If this is what everyone in Durham is like, I could stay for months.

Immaculately trimmed hedges and vibrant pink roses in the front gardens greeted us as we rode up. The palace itself is—elegant, in one word. Most likely the size of ours, but instead of being tall and narrow with many spires, this one is shorter, sprawling out along the shore like a large lazy kitten.

I could not mention the gardens without mentioning the very curious person I met there. After Niall went off to take the three horses to the stable and our belongings to the palace, Liam and I decided to wander the grounds for a bit. The east garden is filled with topiaries in the shape of swans, reflective of the Edwards family crest, with  white roses and daisies in neat circles around them. The two of us were strolling through when all of a sudden, a person fell out into the path in front of us.

Liam immediately drew his sword and pushed me behind him, but I didn’t think the person looked dangerous. His face was streaked with sweat and dirt, and his hair was a right mess, with twigs and flower petals caught in the locks, and he looked rather scruffy and a bit on the skinny side. But then he looked at me, and I couldn’t look away. His eyes were the most brilliant blue, bluer than the sea or the sky or any sapphire we have in the royal vault. Truly, I thought, I would like to see some painter try to capture that blue.

“Liam, no need,” I said, placing a hand on my guard’s sword arm.

I felt him tense. “He could be a spy. Or an assassin.”

At that, the man laughed suddenly, and when I looked back at him he had his hand covering his mouth, but his eyes shone with amusement. “Me, a spy?” he said, getting to his feet and dusting off his hands. “No, never, Your Royal Highness. Clearly I would be a sorry one if I can’t even trim a rosebush without falling over my own feet. I am the gardener, Louis.” He bowed deeply.

His accent was familiar to me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was once from my kingdom. “Where are you from, Louis?”

“Doncaster, Sir. It is an honour to meet you at last, even if it is not on our beloved Yorkshire.” He bowed again, this time with a hint of a cheeky smile. How in the world he got away with speaking to royalty in such a way should have baffled me, but it did not. He was cheeky but charming, skipping right along the lines of decorum without being offensive. He dropped to his knee and plucked a rose from a nearby bush, then stood and handed it to me. I must have appeared confused, because he laughed again and said, “For the princess, Sir. She loves the white roses.”

“Ah, thank you.” I smiled at him whilst Liam cleared his throat next to me.

“It was lovely to meet you, Louis, but we should be going.”

“Yes, of course. I apologise for delaying you.” Louis grinned, bowing once more and beginning to back away. “I hope you enjoy your stay in Durham.”

Liam and I proceeded inside, where we met HM King Alexander and HM Queen Debbie. They, like the villagers, were nothing but hospitable and cheerful. The queen has a motherly face and demeanor, gentle eyes and smile, and the king is much the same. They said the princess was out riding, but that she would be back in time for dinner.

“Niall has already taken your bags to your suite,” said the queen. “Jesy will show you the way. You are welcome to do as you please until dinner. Would you like someone sent for you when it is time?”

“Yes, please,” I said. “I fear I may lose my way, and I wouldn’t want to cause delays on my first day here.” Already I was beginning to like the king and queen, and I could see why the people of Durham were so friendly.

The queen clapped her hands, and seconds later a girl about my age with chestnut brown hair and large eyes came running out from a door in the corner I hadn’t noticed. “Your Royal Highness,” she said, bowing, “my name is Jesy, and I am one of the queen’s maids. If you wish, I can show you to your suite.”

“Thank you, Jesy. And please, just Zayn is fine.”

Jesy took us up to a large wooden door on the second floor, ornately carved with images of the seashore. “This will be your room for your stay here.” She opened the door and gestured for us to go inside. I thanked her again and dismissed her, wanting some time to myself after the journey.

The main feature of the room was the massive bay window across from the door, with a window seat so I could enjoy perfect views of the sea.

Two doors on the left wall led to a washroom and another room for Niall and Liam. Our belongings were all there but Niall was not, so I sent Liam out to find him and sat down to write this.

If I am honest, I’m not sure how good of an idea this is. It was Mother’s idea, and I believe she thinks I am too old to not be married yet. Doniya is married already, to the Duke of Lancashire, and Mother thinks it is time I do the same. She suggested HRH The Princess Perrie, for she is my age and Durham is a valuable trading partner. But, relations with Durham have always been good. Does she want that link solidified? Or does she just want heirs already?

The princess does have an older brother, Jonnie, who will take over the Durham throne, so perhaps the union would be beneficial. Father says there is no pressure to take Perrie as my wife, not yet at least, but Mother does not agree.

And yet, since I met him, my mind keeps wandering to Louis, the gardener, with his quickness and charm and eyes one can only read about. I’ve never thought about anyone this way before, let alone a gardener. Perhaps I will only see him sparingly—besides, Liam will keep me focused on the purpose of my visit. Get to know the princess, decide if courting her would be an option, and then act accordingly.

Ah, there is the knock, and with it Niall’s voice. Liam must have found him. He says it is dinner time. Only now I have noticed the sun sinking and the colours reflecting in the sea.

Forget Louis. Forget Louis.

~*~

**12 April**

I met the princess last night at dinner. Before, I had only seen her in passing, at banquets and festivals over the years, but my memories of her were only fleeting, not enough to remember her face or her manner very well. She was a delight: well-mannered, dainty, intelligent, and surprisingly amusing. I enjoyed her company very much, and she was delighted at the flower I presented her with.

She is a lovely, lovely girl, with blonde hair set in waves about her face and blue eyes, too, but hers are clear and light, more like the sky than Louis’.

...Why I have begun to compare everything blue to Louis’ eyes in my mind is a mystery to me.

But—Perrie. I suppose if this marriage does happen, I would not mind being with her. I think I could grow fond of her in time, perhaps even fall in love.

Still, I could not resist trying to find out more about Louis.

“Perrie,” I asked her, since she had asked me to address her by first name only, “could you tell me some about the staff? Everyone here has been extremely friendly and accommodating.” It was the only way I could think of pose the question without appearing to pry or accidentally let on my thoughts about the gardener.

“Ah, yes. Well, you’ve met Jesy, one of my mother’s maids. She also has Leigh-Anne. Jade is my personal assistant, and you will meet her tomorrow. George is our cook—he’s wonderful, wouldn’t you agree?”

I did, enthusiastically—the fish he had prepared for us that evening was delicious—though I admit I was slightly disappointed when she did not elaborate.

“Jade told me she met your Niall,” she went on. “I have not met him yet, but she likened him to a hummingbird.”

“A hummingbird? Why?”

“She said he flits about like one, always smiling and telling jokes and being cheerful.”

I smiled. “That’s Niall.”

This morning after breakfast, Perrie took Liam and me on a tour of the grounds. We met Harry and Ed, the stableboys, both of whom are very good with the horses. Comforting to know our steeds are in good and caring hands.

She took us to the gardens next, where Louis was pruning the hedges. “This is Louis, our gardener,” she said, as Louis dropped his shears to the ground and bowed.

I did not know how to react, if I should let on that we had met the day before. I decided not to. “Pleased to meet you, Louis,” I said, fearing if I acknowledged our prior meeting I might inadvertently betray my thoughts about him.

Louis, however, grinned, saying, “Ah, yes. I remember you from yesterday, Sir.”

I felt my cheeks turn pink, while Perrie laughed. “You never told me you met, Zayn!”

“I fear I was clumsy, Perrie. Fell right onto the path in front of him!” I noted Louis’ informality, and the way Perrie did not blink an eye at it. Perhaps she requested for him to call her by name.

“Please, just call me Zayn.”

“As you wish.” Louis inclined his head before going back to his work. At first I thought I was imagining the wink he gave us, but Perrie remarked on it.

“He is quite the character, that Louis!” she exclaimed with a giggle. “And to think you’ve met already.”

“He’s from Yorkshire,” I told her, though she probably already knew that.

“One of yours,” she replied with a little smile. “His family moved here when he was eighteen—about four years ago now. His mother is one of our seamstresses, his father is a fisherman, and Louis, as you know, is our gardener.”

“She is very talented,” I said, stepping back to take a good look at Perrie’s dress. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but tiny subtle swans decorated the bodice in intricate patterns invisible except when up close. “You look beautiful.”

She blushed, hiding a giggle behind her hand.

I should have felt happy at making her giggle in such a way. Instead, and I regret to admit this, all I could think about was blue eyes that were not hers alight with amusement from a smile that was not hers hidden behind a hand that was not hers.

~*~

**18 April**

It has been absolutely mad with busyness here. Things change so quickly. I am still in shock from what has conspired tonight.

I should not get ahead of myself. The week has been busy—I have been outside with Perrie every day, as she shows me every part of her kingdom. It is clear she takes pride in her people and her land, which is very sweet to see.

Yesterday, when we were walking through the town, I got to see how the princess interacts with the people, which is extremely important to me. I had guessed from their constant cheer upon my arrival that she must treat them well, and I was not proven wrong. She paused to speak to everyone we passed, if only just to ask them how they were doing. For those names she did not know, which were about half, she knew small details about their lives. If it wasn’t “Good morning, Mr Greene, how are you?” it was “Hello, miss, how has your terrier been? I heard she was sick last week.”

She really is a lovely woman. However I still cannot quite fathom the idea of marrying her. I mentioned before that I think I could grow fond of her, and I know that I already am. But the fondness is not romantic. I enjoy her company, and she has been nothing but wonderful to me, and I know she would make a wonderful queen, but I have, as Doniya would say, ‘cold feet.’

It is due, in no small part, I am sure, to a certain gardener. I did not anticipate seeing him nearly as much as I have. He must supervise the floral arrangements in the palace itself. Sometimes I turn a corner and he is there, arranging or rearranging some flowers in a vase.

I would, however, not be entirely truthful if I said I was not spending my spare time in the garden under the pretense of appreciating the flowers.

This evening, though, during dinner, the queen made an announcement.

“Zayn,” she began, “we received word from your parents today.”

This struck me as extremely odd. Neither Mother nor Father had told me they would be corresponding with the Edwards unless in the event of an emergency. My first thoughts, therefore, were of some terrible tragedy in Yorkshire that would require my immediate departure and return home. “Word of what, Ma’am?”

“The approval of your marriage, of course.”

At this I nearly choked on the potatoes on which I was chewing. I could not decide whether to feel surprised at this sudden turn of events or offended that Mother and Father had not communicated any of this to me. “Of course,” I managed, after swallowing. “If I may speak openly, I am surprised that they have been corresponding with you regarding this. I have heard nothing from them since I arrived here.”

“We wrote to them first,” said the king, “after we saw how well you and Perrie have been getting on.”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Perrie chimed in from the other side of the table, “don’t you, Zayn?”

“Yes, yes of course. I think this would be a very beneficial arrangement.” I smiled, proud of myself for not giving away the growing discomfort in the pit of my stomach.

The queen smiled brightly. “Wonderful. We will hold a ball to announce the engagement in two weeks’ time.”

“That sounds grand.”

I could not pretend much longer, so I retired early, shutting myself in my suite.

“Liam!” I exclaimed, pacing the floor. “I can’t marry Perrie!”

“Why not?” he asked. “Yes, it is a bit soon, but you seem to have taken a liking to the princess.”

“Well, yes, but I don’t think it is enough to marry her.”

“How much else do you need? You make each other smile, and even laugh occasionally, and I have seen the way you seem to look into her eyes as though she is all you can think about.”

At that, I winced, for that was not the entire reason. I am embarrassed to admit that those times, when I find myself staring at her eyes, my mind is not on her. It has wandered to another pair of blue eyes, deeper and darker with longer lashes and soft crinkles at the corners.

Liam frowned at me. “Zayn, what is the matter?”

Liam, bless him, has been a dear companion and valuable guard to have by my side. But I could not tell him about Louis. No, his sense of duty is strong—an admirable trait, but one that would fail to sympathize with my conflicting feelings.

“I am nervous,” is what I said instead.

Liam came to stand next to me at the window, where we could see the moon rising over the sea and casting silver rays across the darkened water. “Marriage is no small decision,” he said, resting a hand on my shoulder, “and though I do believe the union would be a favourable one, you have to be convinced it is the best thing to do.”

I sighed, shutting my eyes briefly and sitting at the window seat, resting my arms on the sill. “I should be, but I am not.”

“You have only known the princess for a week,” Liam pointed out. “I would be surprised if you had your mind made up already.”

“But it would seem everyone is already acting as though the engagement is finalised already.”

“The announcement is in two weeks,” Liam reminded me. “I am certain that you could, in that time, find a way to either come to terms with the arrangement or tactfully break it off if you do not.”

I managed a weak smile at my ever faithful companion. “Sometimes I don’t know what I would do without your sense.”

Knowing the Edwards, planning for the ball will most likely commence tomorrow morning. I need to find a way to either fall in love or call it off, and soon.

~*~

**21 April**

Planning has begun already for the engagement ball. That is the only subject of conversation in the palace. All day long, the staff have been working twice as quickly to clean every inch of the palace and make it spotless, even though the ball is not for another two weeks.

The worst part is the florist. It just so happens that Louis is not only overseer of the gardens and the indoor flowers, but he will also serve as the florist for the ball. We began meeting with him the morning after the king and queen mentioned the approval of the engagement.

He is very different inside the palace. Inside, he is free of the dirt and debris of the outdoors and sometimes, when the sun shines through the windows on his face, he almost looks as though he could be royalty himself. His movements and gestures are almost as dainty as Perrie’s, and he comports himself with a grace surprising from a man I met due to his falling in my path. I am embarrassed to say I find myself looking at his hair, of all things. It swoops down over his forehead in waves of soft fringe, messy though looking as though it were made so intentionally.

But I digress. Instead of exploring the kingdom, the days are now filled with meetings with all kinds of planners. Scribes to make the invitations, advisors to decide whom to invite, artists of all kinds to help us choose decorations. From breakfast till dinner, we speak of nothing but the ball. Louis’ mother is scheduled to measure and design a dress for Perrie tomorrow morning.

All that aside, something...unsettling happened last night. Only two days into the planning, my head had begun to spin madly. Cream or ecru napkins? How many courses for the banquet? Chocolate or vanilla chips on the side of the dessert plates? I needed fresh air.

I went out to wander the grounds last night, after we had all retired and I could hear Liam snoring softly in his room. I managed to sneak out without waking Liam and found my way to the east garden, where the smells of the sea and the roses blended and created a calming aroma. I thought it might calm my head. The moon was high and bright overhead, allowing me more than enough light to walk about.

For once, I was not in the garden hoping to see or speak to Louis, but it would be my luck that I found him. I did not anticipate anyone else to be outside, but as I passed by a hedge, I thought I heard branches rustle. I brushed it off as just a breeze, but then I heard a quiet giggle.

I froze, holding my breath. Was it wise to go walking at night in a still unfamiliar kingdom without Liam? I prayed it was not a spy or assassin.

I heard another rustle, this time closer, and then—Louis and Harry, one of the stableboys, emerged from behind, pink-cheeked and snickering to themselves. Harry had a rose stuck behind his left ear, nestled into his curls.

I tried to back away quietly, but I stepped on a twig, causing it to snap loudly in the quiet of the night.

With a gasp, Louis and Harry looked in my direction. Harry blanched, and Louis’ hand darted up to cover his mouth.

“Y-Your Royal Highness!” Harry exclaimed.

“Zayn, please, don’t tell anyone you saw us,” Louis pleaded.

I didn’t know what to say, so I just turned around and walked away.

This morning after breakfast, when we met with Louis, I tried not to show any awkwardness. He made no such effort, clearly speaking solely to Perrie, and avoiding my eyes when I asked him questions. He looked tired, like he had not slept well. After the meeting, I intended to have a word with him in private, but he scurried off before I could do so.

Perrie gave me a curious look. “What was that about?”

“What?” I pretended I did not know.

“You and Louis were not speaking to each other. Just yesterday you were bantering as though you were old friends. What happened?”

“Don’t know,” I lied, before excusing myself to hide in my room until I was summoned for the next meeting.

Later, though, as I was strolling through the palace unawares, Louis seemingly appeared out of thin air and cornered me.

“You didn’t tell anyone about Harry and me, did you? Please, tell me you didn’t.”

He sounded desperate in the way someone trying to keep a secret sounds, and I would not be honest if I did not say that seeing him in the garden with Harry did not make my mind immediately jump to certain conclusions. “I told no one.”

“Good.” Louis’ face relaxed visibly—in fact, his entire person did. His shoulders sagged, releasing a tension I had failed to notice there. “Because Harry and I are not...involved in any way.”

I could not resist a raise of my eyebrow. Surely he didn’t expect me to believe that after the way I saw him with Harry? “Not at all?” I asked.

“Not at all.” He shook his head adamantly. “Harry and I are very close friends, but nothing more. Please, Sir, believe me.”

He had been nothing but honest and kind to me since my arrival, so I chose to believe him. And the revelation that he was not already involved came as a relief, though at the time I did not pause to think about why. Now, I have my suspicions.

I believe I was jealous of Harry.

~*~

**23 April**

More planning. Tired, and no closer to convincing myself I am truly doing the right thing.

Things with Louis have improved. We are back to our usual banter and jokes. Perrie has not commented further.

Received word from my parents today, a letter of congratulations on the engagement. If I am being honest, I fail to see why people are treating us like we are already engaged.

~*~

**24 April**

I did a cowardly thing. The invitations for the ball went out today, but I snatched the invitations for my parents off the top of the pile and hid them inside my pillowcase.

I have been thinking very seriously about the arrangement, and the more I think about it the less I am convinced it is the best thing to do. Liam says he sees love beginning between me and Perrie, but I do not believe he and I are watching the same two people. Whenever I look at her, I can only think of another person with blue eyes, another person with an elegant comportment, another person with a bit more dirt smudged on their cheek. And I know in my heart I cannot put her through a marriage with me if I am thinking in such a way.

Liam does not know this struggle of mine—not all of it. He only knows that I am not completely in favour of the marriage, and he does an admirable job of attempting to keep my spirits up. Niall does the same, distracting me with jokes and amusing stories from the rest of the palace staff. And I laugh, but only for a few minutes, for when I am alone with my thoughts and lying in bed, I find myself wondering.

~*~

**25 April**

Yet another surprising turn of events. After dinner, and after Perrie had gone to her chambers, the king and queen requested that I stay.

“There is something we need to speak to you about,” the king said.

My first wild thought was of Louis and Harry, and whether Louis was really telling the truth when he said he and Harry were not involved. Then I wondered if they could somehow see into my mind and know that I was thinking not of their daughter, but of their gardener. Perhaps I had offended one or both of them and never even realised! But I stayed, saying nothing.

“We have been speaking privately about this,” the queen began, “and we have been watching you and Perrie together over the last two weeks. You have been marvelous together. However, we have considered the long-term effects of a marriage and we are not convinced it is the best course of action.”

They had echoed my inner struggle nearly perfectly. But I said nothing about feeling the same way. “And for what reasons, if I may ask?” I asked instead.

“Durham and Yorkshire have always had strong ties, in both wartime and peacetime,” said the king, “and each is a valuable trading partner to the other. With the close proximity of the two kingdoms, and the already secure link between our kingdoms, we feel both you and Perrie should explore other options for the optimum benefits that a marriage will attain.”

My own thoughts exactly. By now I was thinking what good luck it was that I had not let the invitation to my parents go out the day before. “I understand,” I said, inclining my head slightly. “It has been an honour staying with you for this time, and absolutely lovely to spend time with you and with the princess. Your kingdom is beautiful and prosperous, and may it always be so.”

The queen smiled. “Thank you, Zayn. You are most kind.”

“Please stay at least until tomorrow, however,” the king interrupted. “Tomorrow we will inform Perrie of our decision, and then you may stay as long as you wish, until you desire home.”

“Thank you, Sire,” I said as we all stood and pushed our chairs in.

The queen caught me just before I left the dining room. “Besides,” she whispered to me so only I could hear, “my husband may not have noticed, but I have. I believe a certain gardener may have eyes for you.”

My breath caught in my throat. Had I been found out. Stricken, I looked at the queen to see her amused expression, lips pressed together in a smile more mysterious than that of  _La Gioconda_.

~*~

**27 April**

Happy and relieved to say that Perrie took the news of our decision with much grace and equanimity. I could see she was upset, though, and trying to hide it. I genuinely felt sorry for her—though I did not love her in a romantic sense, I had grown to like her as a friend. I promised to keep in touch with her, and visit when possible. She has an open invitation to the Yorkshire Palace anytime she wishes to come.

Last night I went outside for another walk in the garden. The moon had begun to wane, giving me only thin slivers of light by which to find my way.

To my great surprise, Louis was sitting on one of the marble benches underneath a rose-covered trellis in the south garden. Is it wishful thinking to say he looked as though he had been waiting for me? Almost certainly.

“So I heard you and Perrie are not longer getting married,” he said softly. Over the days his tone toward me had become increasingly less formal, and I found I liked it. I thought of him less as a staff member and more as a fellow Yorkshire man.

“You heard correctly.” Upon his invitation, I sat beside him on the bench. Perrie had shown me this spot on my second day while we were touring the palace and the grounds, but we did not sit on the bench then, and never did.

“Surprising. I thought you two were getting on rather well.”

“We were, but.” I shrugged. “We decided there were better options out there.”

“Pity. You’re too eligible and handsome.”

I looked at him, surprised at his boldness. If that was not a smirk on his lips then I am not the Prince of Yorkshire. Where he got this pluckiness was beyond me, but I knew it was time to be plucky myself.

We moved in at the same time, lips meeting in a shy but long-awaited kiss. He tasted musky and dark, like the earth he tended, and yet sweet, like the flowers he cared for. I did not have time to think much more after that.

I blush to recount this. We spent the night together outside in the garden, kissing and tangling until our hands and cheeks and stomachs burned with heat and the stars had become nothing more than hazy diamonds in an upside-down sea. The birds woke up as the sun rose, and I had to go. Louis was not yet awake, still slumbering peacefully in the grass. I took a moment to etch the sight into my memory: both of his hands cushioning his head, lips parted and hair brushed over his eyes. He began to stir just then, taking in a sharp breath through his nose and huffing it out like a snort, and he sat up slowly.

However, before I could stand and hasten back to the palace, I heard footsteps on the path behind us.

“Zayn! Louis!”

I whirled around to see Perrie standing in the garden, fully dressed already with her hands on her hips and a stormcloud expression on her face. “Perrie, please,” I began, but she cut me off.

“Is this why you called off the engagement? Have you and Louis been involved this entire time, right under my nose?” she demanded, her voice rising to a near shriek.

“No! No, I promise, this was—no, darling, I never would hurt you like that,” I said, knowing very well I already had. How many times had I held her hands and gazed into her eyes, all the while thinking of Louis’ hands instead?

Behind her, the queen came rushing out. “What is all this fuss about?” she asked.

“Mother! Zayn spent the night with Louis.” Perrie crossed her arms, her expression closed and dark.

“Well.” The queen regarded both of us with an impartial stare, and I mentally chastised myself for allowing things to get this far. Yorkshire could say farewell to its ties with Durham. “I cannot say I am surprised.”

Perrie’s jaw dropped in a very unladylike manner. “Mother, you knew about this all along?”

“I knew it would be a matter of time before these two came to terms with their feelings for each other.” The queen glanced sideways at us, giving us a small smile. I smiled back in gratitude. “But dear, do not think this is the reason the engagement has been cancelled. The reasoning still stands.”

Perrie made a scoffing sound, turned on her heel, and stormed off.

The queen watched her go. “Ah, forgive her,” she said, “she can be rather dramatic.”

“The apology is mine to make,” I said, rising to my feet as Louis did the same. “I acted rashly and foolishly. Please forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive.” The queen smiled again, fully this time. “You have permission to court Louis if you so wish, Zayn. Louis, if this does indeed come to pass, you have permission to move back to Yorkshire with Zayn, and I will allow your parents to visit you as often as they wish.”

Louis gasped, amazement coming over his face. “Thank you, thank you, Ma’am,” he said, bowing deeply several times in a row.

“I will leave you be to discuss your plans for leaving. Take your time. If breakfast is not still on the table, ask Niall or one of my maids to show you to the kitchen. George will make you something.”

Then we were alone in the garden. Louis’ cheek was red from where he had slept on the backs of his hands and his hair was even more unkempt than I had ever seen it and yet, in the early golden rays of the morning sun, he had never looked so lovely.

“How unfortunate this came at the very end of my visit to Durham,” I lamented, taking Louis’ hand in mine. “It is my strongest wish that you return to Yorkshire with me, but I know you have a job and family and a life here and I could not ask you to leave those behind.”

“Who knows?” Louis said, raising one eyebrow. “I do miss Yorkshire with all my heart, and I am a grown man. Twenty-two, for goodness’ sake! I can make my own decisions. And?” he went on, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand in a gesture I found oddly comforting. “Don’t worry about it right now. You have another day here, yes?”

“I have as long as I like.” It was an untruth and we both knew it. But for the moment, it was good enough.

****  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ahh I hope you liked it!!


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